Fashion doll
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fashion dolls are dolls primarily designed to be dressed to reflect fashion trends. They are manufactured both as toys for children to play with and as collectibles for adult collectors. The dolls are usually modeled after teen girls or adult women, though child, male, and even some non-human variants exist. Contemporary fashion dolls are typically made of vinyl or another plastic.
Designer’s profile: Dollrepublik
The earliest fashion dolls were French bisque dolls from the mid-19th century. Barbie was released by the American toy-company Mattel in 1959, and was followed by many similar vinyl fashion dolls intended as children's toys. The size of the Barbie, 11.5 inches (290 mm) set the standard often used by other manufacturers. But fashion dolls have been made in many different sizes varying from 10.5 inches (270 mm) to 36 inches (900 mm).
Designer’s profile: SOUOL by
LOUOS | Dollrepublik
Costumers
and seamstresses
use fashion dolls as a canvas for their work. Customizers repaint faces, re-root
hair, or do other alterations to the dolls themselves. Many of these works are
one-of-a-kind. These artists are usually not connected to the original
manufacturers and sell their work to collectors.
History and types
The
original Barbie
fashion doll in March 1959 by Mattel
Barbie was launched by the American toy-company Mattel in 1959. Barbie has been an important part of the toy fashion doll market for fifty years.
Many fashion doll lines have been inspired by Barbie, or launched as alternatives to Barbie. Tammy was created by the Ideal Toy Company in 1962. Advertised as "The Doll You Love to Dress", Tammy was portrayed as a young American teenager, more "girl next door" than the cosmopolitan image of Barbie. Sindy was created by the British Pedigree Dolls & Toys company in 1963 as a rival to Barbie with a wholesome look. In the late 1960s and early 1970s Ideal Toy Company released several larger fashion dolls with hair with adjustable length. The Crissy Doll and friends are 16" and Velvet Doll and friends are 18". British designer Mary Quant's Daisy doll from 1973 had a large selection of contemporary 70s fashion designed by Quant.
Fulla is marketed to children of Islamic and Middle-Eastern countries as an alternative to Barbie. The concept of her evolved around 1999 and she hit stores in late 2003.
Bratz by MGA Entertainment
Bratz were released in 2001, designed by Carter Bryant and manufactured by California toy company MGA Entertainment.
My Scene by Mattel
They are distinguished by large heads with skinny bodies and lush, glossy lips. Mattel introduced the My Scene line in 2002.
Flavas by Mattel
Flavas line in 2003 to rival Bratz.
Monster High (dolls bodies are fully articulated, with removable forearms and hands)
In 2010 Mattel launched the Monster High doll line, based from fantasy and horror monsters.
Asian fashion dolls are made by Asian manufacturers and primarily targeted to an Asian market.
Blythe by Kenner/Takara
Blythe dolls with oversized heads and color changing eyes were originally made by American company Kenner but are now produced by Japanese company Takara.
Pullip by Cheonsang Cheonha
Another doll with an oversized head, Pullip, was created in 2003 in Korea.
Japanese fashion dolls marketed to children included Licca (introduced in 1967) and Jenny (introduced in 1982) by Takara Tomy.
Gene Marshall from the 2008 collection
In the mid-1990s dolls like Gene Marshall from Ashton-Drake.
Tyler Wentworth from Tonner
and
Alexandra Fairchild Ford by Madame Alexander
Alexandra Fairchild Ford from Madame Alexander appeared. They are both between 15.5 and 16 inches (395 and 410 mm,) larger than other common fashion dolls. These dolls are mostly marketed to adult collectors.
